Bulgarian artistic gymnasts face the risk of missing the World Championships in Ningbo, China, in October due to ongoing internal disputes within the Bulgarian Federation of Gymnastics (BFG). The newly elected but yet to take office president, Assen Zlatev, and the general secretary, Marin Milashki, have issued a warning about the federation's lack of operational freedom. The federation continues to be controlled by Stefan Botev, who remains in the presidential position due to trainer Plamen Bratoichev's complaint regarding the general assembly held in December. The annual report for the past year has not been finalized, preventing the federation from receiving funds for 2026 from the Ministry of Youth and Sports. "Our team has great potential for medals at the World Championships, which is also the first qualification event for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. We cannot afford to miss this opportunity," Zlatev stated.

Botev has been evading representatives of the Ministry of Youth and Sports to prevent a federation audit. Old debts, primarily accumulated during the tenure of Aref Majid, continue to accumulate, now totaling nearly half a million euros due to interest. "The situation is getting worse with each passing day, as we lack the conditions for a complete preparation," Milashki commented.